subterranean
adjective
sub·ter·ra·nean
ˌsəb-tə-ˈrā-nē-ən 
-nyən
variants
or less commonly subterraneous
ˌsəb-tə-ˈrā-nē-əs
-nyəs
1
: being, lying, or operating under the surface of the earth
2
: existing or working in secret : hidden
a subterranean network of criminals
subterraneanly
adverb
or less commonly subterraneously
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Go Underground With Subterranean
A tunnel is a subterranean road or pathway, and a subway is a subterranean railway. The subterranean vaults at Fort Knox hold billions of dollars of gold reserves. Subterranean reservoirs called aquifers are tapped for water; in places where the pressure on the subterranean water is great enough, a hole drilled in the ground will bring it bubbling to the surface.
Examples of subterranean in a Sentence
a subterranean bunker that supposedly could withstand even an atomic blast
Recent Examples on the Web
Farrow & Ball’s Cooking Apple Green on the walls complements the floors, which are painted in the company’s warm Picture Gallery Red—a popular hue for subterranean floors of the home’s era.
—
David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
The cave is home to a subterranean lake that is perfectly lit throughout the day thanks to a hole in the cave's ceiling.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2024
Round out the evening with a nightcap at the subterranean tavern–then head to bed, an elevator ride away.
—Brittany Anas, The Denver Post, 30 Oct. 2024
Celebrated monster-suit actor Doug Jones portrays the fiend, as well as the long-limbed Faun who leads our young hero (Ivana Baquero) into a subterranean world of magic and danger.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for subterranean 
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David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
The cave is home to a subterranean lake that is perfectly lit throughout the day thanks to a hole in the cave's ceiling.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2024
Round out the evening with a nightcap at the subterranean tavern–then head to bed, an elevator ride away.
—Brittany Anas, The Denver Post, 30 Oct. 2024
Celebrated monster-suit actor Doug Jones portrays the fiend, as well as the long-limbed Faun who leads our young hero (Ivana Baquero) into a subterranean world of magic and danger.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for subterranean
Dictionary Entries Near subterranean
Cite this Entry
“Subterranean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subterranean. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
subterranean
adjective
sub·ter·ra·nean
ˌsəb-tə-ˈrā-nē-ən
-nyən
1
: being, lying, or operating under the surface of the earth
2
: existing or working in secret : hidden
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